Sailfish Season Starts Early

Bass Hitting In Freshwater

October 28, 1988|By JERRY GERARDI, Staff Writer

The winter sailfish season seems to be off to an early start this year. Excellent catches have been reported in all Palm Beach County coastal waters. Most of the fish have been taken by anglers fishing with either live baitfish or trolled dead ballyhoo. Few, if any, have been caught on artificial lures. It`s still too early in the season for artificial-lure action.

Sailfish weren`t the only billfish taken this past week. South Palm Beach angler Rick Tennant was fishing about 12 miles off the Boynton Inlet when he single-handedly hooked, fought and landed a 131-pound blue marlin.

Freshwater fishing for largemouth bass has also been good. Lunker bass weighing up to 10 pounds have been taken by anglers fishing with live golden shiners. The best action has been on Lake Okeechobee.

SOUTHERN PART OF PALM BEACH COUNTY

Deerfield Beach International Fishing Pier attendant Al Cohen said anglers have been catching blue runner, assorted bottomfish and some mutton snapper. Most of the snapper have been taken at night.

According to Chester Stiteler, of the Seven Seas Bait and Tackle in Boca Raton, offshore anglers have been taking sailfish, marlin, dolphin weighing up to 35 pounds, mutton and yellowtail snapper, some kingfish and a few Spanish mackerel.

Largemouth bass weighing up to 9 1/2 pounds have been caught from the canals throughout the city. Stiteler said some of the better-producing ones have been the Military Trail canal, Turnpike canal and the C-15 canal.

Marty Bernet, owner of the Offshore Fisherman in Delray Beach, said anglers have been scoring on sailfish, dolphin, mutton snapper, scattered kingfish and an occasional wahoo.

Action at the Boynton Inlet has been on sand perch, mangrove snapper, moonfish and an occasional snook.

Freshwater fishermen have been catching largemouth bass weighing up to 3 pounds. Artificial worms (tequila sunrise) have been resulting in the best catches. Panfish action has also been good. Anglers fishing in the deeper sections of area canals have begun to catch specks (black crappie). Most have been caught on live minnows.

CENTRAL PART OF PALM BEACH COUNTY

Captain John Schulz, owner of Captain John`s Bait and Tackle in Lantana, said that even he was able to catch fish this past week. He took a busman`s holiday and caught dolphin weighing up to 30 pounds and a 20-pound wahoo. Other anglers have been catching sailfish, snapper (red eye, mutton and an occasional yellowtail), arctic bonito and scattered kingfish.

Bill Turner of the Classic Bassin` Pro Shop in Lake Worth said bass weighing up to 9 3/4 pounds have been caught from Lake Osborne. Turner said wild shiners resulted in the largest fish. Smaller, schooling bass have been taken by anglers fishing with artificial worms (red shad, blackgrape/greenglitter), shad-type crankbaits and top-water plugs.

Turner said speck fishing has been slow.

NORTHERN PART OF PALM BEACH COUNTY

Jane Lill of the Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores said offshore action has been limited to sailfish and dolphin.

According to Rick VanTol, of the Inlet Marine in Jupiter, ocean anglers have been catching sailfish, yellowtail snapper and a few dolphin.

Surf fishermen have been taking jack crevalle and an occasional bluefish.

LOXAHATCHEE

Norma McGarry of the Arthur R. Marshall/Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge west of Boca Raton said the best bass action has been on the western flats. She added that some largemouths have also been taken from the west canal. Limit catches of bass weighing up to 8 pounds have been taken on redshad- colored artificial worms and on Rapala plugs.

LAKE OKEECHOBEE

Lance Glaser, a bass guide out of Slim`s Fish Camp in Belle Glade, said limit catches of bass weighing up to 10 pounds have been caught this past week. Live shiners resulted in the biggest fish, while artificial lures (worms, shad-type crankbaits) caught the most.

Glaser said the big fish have been taken from along the outside edges of cattail and bullrush stands. Smaller, schooling bass have been caught around the outside points of Pelican and Ritta Islands.

Limit catches of specks have been caught at night by anglers fishing with live minnows in the Rim Canal and in the Dynamite Holes.

Jolly Roger Marina owner Dick Williams said bass weighing up to 10 pounds, 8 ounces have been caught from Observation Shoals. Live wild shiners, artificial worms and Rat-L-trap crankbaits caught the most fish.

Speck fishermen have been taking near-limit catches at night. Most of the fish have been caught from the Rim Canal on live minnows.